


It’s Good to See You

by Olphyra



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anxiety, Comfort, F/M, Minific, Short & Sweet, Some spoilers for DAI and Trespasser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olphyra/pseuds/Olphyra
Summary: Inquisitor Ryn Trevelyan deals with anxiety post-Trespasser. Cole alerts Cullen so he can comfort Ryn.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	It’s Good to See You

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting here, so please be gentle!   
> Thank you for reading!

Easing into the hot bath, Ryn feels like she is burning. She bites her lip to focus the pain elsewhere. As she sinks into the tub, the pain subsiding, she closes her eyes and listens. The practice yard is quiet where there used to be the near-constant ringing of swords. The murmur of guests in the hall is also gone. All she can hear is the bubbles in her water popping and her breath. In. Out. In. Out.

Minutes have passed and Ryn comes back to herself. She needs to wash if she has any hope of making it to the small dinner tonight. Josephine would be furious and Leliana wouldn’t let her live that down. She drops deep into the tub, knees surfacing so her head can be covered. Coming up, she reaches to push her hair back but...her left hand misses her head. She’s jarred by the elbow of her left arm slamming into her temple. Then it all comes back.

_Solas._ Her thoughts swirl around the name. _Solas. Why? Solas. He lied to me. He lied to all of us. He’s gone. He’s going to destroy the world. I could have stopped him._ The scene flashes before her eyes. She’d had a chance but she let it slip - let him slip. She could have drawn her blade and ended it there. _I could have stopped him...right?_ Flashes of their friendship ran through her mind. Her eyes are burning. Her arm is burning. It’s not there, it can’t burn.

* * *

“Hot, flashing, burning. _WHY?_ He had to take it. _I trusted him._ Oh.” Cole’s words nearly run over themselves. He turns and walks away from the stable. He makes for the steps next to the gate then disappears before reappearing on the battlements.

“She needs you, Commander,” Cole says flatly as he pushes the door open.

A tall man with blonde hair, more wavy than curly, stands behind a desk. He jumps at the intrusion and makes to draw his sword but stops himself. “Makers Breath, Cole, how many times have we talked about knocking before opening a door?” His right hand reaches for the nape of his neck as he lets out a sigh.

“Cullen, she needs you. She isn’t doing well. _Burning, pain, why? He’s gone. He lied. What if HE leaves, too? I failed them, they should all leave. I deserve this._ ”

“What are you talking about? Who is leaving? Cole, make sens-”, realization spreads across Cullen’s face.

Cole points toward a door in front of the desk. “Go,” he urges.

“Thank you, Cole.” He’s out the door before he says it. He’s running now.

* * *

He nearly trips over himself as he enters the large rotunda. _Damn him._ He allows himself a thought as he passes the large murals on the walls. _Why even paint these?_ He glances at the last mural, still unfinished. _They killed the dragon but what is that beast?_ He pulls himself away from the thought and continues on.

He steadies his pace and breathing as he gets to the hall—no need to cause panic to those here. Fortunately, there are only a few people sitting around the fire talking quietly. None seem to give much notice to the Commander as he moves through.

Stopping at the furthest door, he steels himself. _I must be strong for her as she’s been strong for me. Maker, give me strength._ He pushes the door open and move towards the steps. He takes them three at a time. At the top of the stairs, he slows his pace and eases the door open. In the middle of the room, a large tub sits full of water and a woman. _Ryn._

* * *

She hears him open the door and step in, closing the door quietly behind him. She isn’t able to greet him, though. She feels empty. Nothing left to give, not even attention. She only sits, watching the bubbles swirl in her water. She lets them drift and imagines each of her thoughts as a bubble, swirling in the water, subject to the current.

* * *

She sits in the tub, unmoving. Cullen steps toward her, watching her face. Expressionless. He feels an understanding to this. Remembering Kinloch and Kirkwall under Meredith’s reign, he begins trying to recall all he was told to do to ease the trauma out. Realizing that most of the suggestions were to train it pray more, he changes his course of thought. _What do I want when the nightmares come?_ Suddenly, he remembers their first night together. He had a nightmare but when he woke to see her face, it eased the fear. Her head on his chest melted away what his mind couldn’t reason out.

Cullen unbuckles his sword belt and sets it on the bed, then he removes his boots, socks, and shirt. He feels funny standing there wearing only his pants but he feels the need to make clear what is intentions are not. He needs her to know why he is there. Walking toward the tub, he watches Ryn again, checking for any changes. There are none. He stands next to her, letting her know where he is. He waits a moment before placing his hands on her shoulders and gently pushing her forward.

He steps into the tub, quietly gasping at the temperature of the water. _Maker, is this what Cole meant about ‘burning’?_ He eases himself into the water, sliding his legs past Ryn’s. Once he’s sat down, he pulls her to him and wraps his arms around her. He puts his face in her long black hair. It smells of elfroot and smoke. This was her first chance to really bathe since the Council of Heralds and the scents from the ordeal with the Qunari had held tight even through their trip back to Skyhold.

After several minutes, Cullen isn’t sure how many, Ryn finally starts to move. First, it’s a large breath. Then, it’s a stretching back. Finally, she leans back, placing her head on his chest. He plants a slow, gentle kiss on the crown of her head. “It’s good to see you.”


End file.
